How Dreams of Deceased Pets Affect the Dreamers

Visitation dreams from deceased pets can be powerful and healing.

“Six months after my dog died, he came to me in a very vivid memorable dream. He looked vibrant and healthy and he came to reassure me. After the dream all my anguish over the previous six months dissipated fairly suddenly.”

— from the Internet

“When one of my cats died, I asked him to come back to me somehow. I had a premonition dream about a kitten showing up so when he did, just as in the dream, I took the kitten in immediately…”

According to research, characteristics of visitation dreams include a vivid realistic quality. The deceased appear loving, healthy and vibrant, conveying reassurance and/or important messages. The dreamer experiences closure, which can be life-changing.

In addition to documented cases of visitation dreams of deceased family and friends, there are also many anecdotal reports of visitation dreams of deceased pets. Although presently there’s a lack of scientific research conducted in this fascinating area of visitation dreaming, there are certain commonalities between visitation dreams of deceased pets and those of deceased humans. Similarities include the dreamer experiencing their pet’s love and affection, vibrant presence, healthy appearance, intuitive communication, and reassurance.

“(In the dream my dog) came to say goodbye and that he was ok and to remember him this way…”

— from the internet

Source: Pexels

“…one night (my deceased pet) appeared to me in a dream. She ran to me and all night she was playing with me. In a way, she told me that she was fine and she came to say goodbye… After 15 years of that dream, I still remember it (as if I) had that dream last night.”

1. If visitation dreams are a projection of our subconscious and imagination, then the many research-verified benefits of visits of deceased humans can certainly apply to visits of deceased pets. These experiences can be highly cathartic, and immensely healing.

“I had to put a puppy down and cried, then I had a vision of her running so freely in a meadow, and the emotional pain went away.”

— from the Internet

2. If we think “outside the box” and consider, even for a moment, the possibility that at least some visitation dreams of deceased pets are the animals’ attempts at contacting their owners, this opens a host of scientific and spiritual questions that are, to say the least, fascinating: Do animals have consciousness? Do animals have “souls”? Can animal consciousness exist after physical demise?

Recent scientific studies have concluded the sameness of human and animal consciousness, while other research has declared the existence of souls in animals. Like inquiries about consciousness and the human body, questions about animal consciousness are also hotly debated in the scientific community.

“…the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Nonhuman animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.”

— statement from a group of neuroscientists in the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness

Have you experienced visitation dream of a beloved deceased pet? Please share in the comment section. See also recommended readings (references) below.

Shortly after losing 2 of my dogs, I dreamed of them drinking water from a clear creek located in a beautiful pasture. I felt so relieved they were ok.
Several years later, I had a dog named Casey for thirteen years. She died from a tumor on her liver at the emergency Vet's. I was so upset afterwards. Some time later, I had a dream that she was at a gate entrance and a dog, that looked like her, met her at the gate. It was her mother that came to get her at the gate and they ran off together. I felt so much better after having the dream.
Just recently, I lost my 15 year old rescue, Nina, (rescued her when she was 11 years old). I have taken her loss so hard. It has been over a month and I still have crying spells missing her so much. Hopefully, I will see her in a dream soon so I know she is ok.

I cried for 3 months after my 15 yr old bichon died. Then I had a dream that she was in my living room sitting on my Dad's lap (who is also deceased). She loved Dad. I said to her "where have you been"? Then I let my fingers sink into that soft bichon fur to pet her. It felt so real and good. I woke up happy at seeing her and then started crying at the reality that it was just a dream . It was still comforting to think she was in heaven with my dad.

I discovered this article today and was absolutely struck to learn that others have had an experience similar to mine.
Many years ago I had an uncle die very quickly and prematurely of cancer in his mid 60s when he died.
His body and mind deteriorated quickly once he contracted the cancer, and within six months he looked 90 years old and very feeble, and then he was gone.
Not long after that, he “visited” me in the twilight hours right before I got out of bed one morning. I cannot call it a dream because it was too real to be a dream. In my understanding, dreams are things that our mind fabricates from the creative stirrings of our subconscious. But this, by contrast, was truly an experience being initiated from outside of my own consciousness or even subconsciousness . In this brief encounter, my uncle was standing healthy and tall, in his full class A Air Force uniform from his younger days, that I had never seen him in in my entire life, nor ever thought about. And he said that he was healthy and happy, and that we should not worry about him because he was going to be fine.
I was aware that he had been in the Air Force in his younger days, partly due to a very old black-and-white headshot of him in his uniform, which I would see when I we visited their house on holidays...but I had never given it another thought much less dwelled on it, And I had never been privy to a full-color or full-body photograph.
My impression of my uncle was of a man in a plaid flannel shirt, sitting in his special chair, smoking like a chimney non-stop and watching sports or John Wayne Western’s all day, whenever we would visit. He was a figure that I both feared and revered, as he was quite intelligent and handy around the house, but also had a bit of a temper when we kids would get out of line. But in my dream, he was nothing but tall, handsome, kind, and the picture of health...a vision of him that I had never imagined nor entertained.

This was one of the experiences in my life that proved to me personally that there must be life after death, because this visitation hit me completely out of left field and was entirely unexpected, unmeditated and unasked for... yeah it was incredibly reassuring nevertheless. It can truly be described as nothing short of a “gift” or a blessing.

Thanks for sharing. You may also find this article from my Psychology Today blog beneficial: "How Dreams of Deceased Loved Ones Affect the Dreamers". Simply google the article title to access the link.

Thank you for your article that I happened upon today. My beagle, friend, and loyal companion for over 14 years passed away this summer. I have been missing her daily presence in my life as I loved her dearly. One night she appeared to me in my dream but her appearance was unlike any dream I have ever had. It was absolutely like a vivid real life experience. Like a railroad train appearing down a foggy track my girl came to me full of life, love and happiness. She joyfully wiggled up to me licking my face as I hugged and kissed her. I was able to feel her warm fur and smell her scent. I told her how much I missed her. As I write this I am crying. I am so thankful for her visit that day. Thank you for allowing me to share my story.

We had a sweet old JRT, who we had to put down last November at 16.5 years old. It was devastatingly painful to make this decision, but he hadn't been himself at all and was very ill. This morning, my husband had to go on a business trip and left very early. After he left, I drifted back to sleep and my dog came to visit me, very playful and excited to see me. I cried heavily in my dream and woke up suddenly to someone whispering something that sounded like "Don't Mommy" in my ear, but nobody was there. We used to give our dog a voice and talk for him (as many pet owners do). I miss him so much. This dream did provide comfort, but I wonder if my dog woke me from it because he didn't want me to be upset...perhaps he was saying not to cry.
The night we had to put our dog to sleep, my 10-year-old son called to us half-asleep after he'd gone to bed. My husband went to check on him and our son drowsily told him..."He's here...he's right here...he came back to check on you." The next morning, our son had no recollection of this.
I also lost my father when I was almost 13...and he visited me in a dream when I was about to graduate from high school and smiled and gave me a thumbs-up sign. This dream happened 30 years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I have an occasional dream where my childhood beloved dog Blackie is there with me. He is beautiful and full of life. At a certain point in the dream I think to myself "I thought you died years ago but here you are." In one dream he led me to a place that seemed to be some kind of hall of knowledge where I met a beautiful older woman who shared insights with me. Another time I had fallen asleep in a state of despair over an abusive relationship. Blackie came to me in my dream and laid beside me as I held him. I felt a wonderful wave of love and comfort from his presence. I will never forget it.